Ageing

[lonelyheartemma]

I'm ageing and I don't know what to do. I'm too young to look like this. This guy stopped me in the street to sign me up for his charity and he decided to really flatter me by saying I looked younger than I actually did and he said I looked 23 which is how old I am. So humiliating.

I've been to professional make up people but they were no good. I am so embarrassed about how I look. One thought I was 25, one thought I was about 30!

This should be in crisis really but I need practical help not emotional help.

I use lots of anti ageing stuff but if anything it's speeding it up.

Getting more sleep makes me look worse.

If someone looks at me I feel guilty and embarrassed for being such an ugly old hag.

I don't know what to do. I feel like I should get rid of all my clothes because I look too old to wear them but I love my clothes.

[Eagleheart]

LHE- Do you know how lucky you are to be so young??

Try being me.44,fat & being destroyed by gravity. Seriously hun. Enjoy your youngness. I would give anything to be in my 20's again. Don't fritter away your youth over this stuff. You are beautiful just as you are.x

[PDBPD]

Eagle...you made me smile

Emma...people are insensitive...you are young and I am sure to people older they accept you appear youthful. Can you get some reassurance from people here who know what you look like??

Steve

[Dice]

Emma; When I was like 13/14 I think??? I was shopping with my Cousin whom was like 6/7 years old at the time and this lady on the till said something to which she was thinking he was my son, So that would of meant I had him when I was his age hahah... Then another time an ex friend of my sisters met me for the first time and after she said to my sister I did not know you had an older sister ( She thought I was 30... ) I was only 18...

What I am trying to say, No matter what you wear, Or have you look many many people will always get other people's age wrong; It's one thing people should never try and guess... Also people can think someone is older or younger by how their speak, You should not worry or fear about this, Yes easier said than done but it's just something I guess we all do go through at one time or another...

[Threemoons]

I agree with Dice, Emma, think it's your maturity that get people wrong about your age, as you have more maturity than most people your age I think. Maybe you could take it better by thinking of the good quality they see in you rather than a defect?

[complex-lemon]

I get your concerns Emma.

When I was your age, I guess 30 did seem so old, but strangely I was more concerned about how old or youthful I looked the, as I do these days.

I am heck lot older than yourself now, 47.

In my experience people when they are younger are much more anxious about how they appear etc, but as others have said it need not be because you look older, it is more than likely that you portray much more mature in personality than your actual age.

So not a bad thing at all, if viewed from that perspective, I feel.

Know too more of a woman thing too, but am certain you look fine.

Media and internet probably lot to do with influencing people unneccessarily. ie Only perfect people allowed, which in all reality none of us are anyway.

Also most people are hopeless at getting ages of people anyway. Someone may think you look a lot older, others will think you look younger. Depends on their own perceptions and experiences much more than your actual look.

Hope this sort of makes some sense.

I do understand though as have a friend who is incredibly focussed and sometimes upset by this himself as well.

Take care Emma.

Complex-lemon

[lonelyheartemma]

Thank you. It really does upset me so much and I don't know how to stop it.

Some days I look in the mirror and I'm happy with how I look but mostly I can't bear it.